Why I snubbed Manchester United – Klopp

Jurgen Klopp has revealed that he turned down a chance to manage Manchester United, following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

The current Liverpool boss was approached by Ferguson to replace him at Old Trafford, but Klopp felt the timing was wrong to leave Borussia Dortmund.

Klopp eventually left Dortmund in 2015 and was appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ successor in October.

“We spoke. We spoke not a lot but, for me, it was a lot. It was a big honour, the whole talk, to be honest. But I could not leave Dortmund,” the German said.

“You are in April and you are in the middle of the planning for next season. You have this player and this player who are coming but then you are not there anymore? That doesn’t work. Not in my life.

“I didn’t hear about a real offer [from United]but, if there was, I could not have done it. I first had to finish the job with Dortmund and then think about other things.

“Maybe that is not smart but that is my way. It was the same at Mainz”, he added.

Klopp, however, hailed Ferguson as the ‘John Lennon of football’ and said it was a privilege to have a conversation with him.

“It’s a big honour to talk to Sir Alex,” he said.